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Texas venue that launched Janis Joplin’s career set to close
Four Kerr County residents are among at least 20,196 people in Texas who tested positive for the coronavirus that's swept the world. Two have recovered, two are active. Kerrville Peterson Regional Medical Center also treated a Bandera County man with COVID-19.
Of Texas's 254 counties, 198 reported coronavirus infections, according to information from the state health department. At least 517 people had died from the disease in Texas and 205,399 had been tested. At least 6,486 people had recovered from the disease in Texas.
Nationwide, 75,538 people have recovered from the disease, 825,041 have been infected and 45,063 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the U.S., 4,163,464 had been tested for the virus. In the U.S., 117,962 were hospitalized.
At the time of this writing, worldwide coronavirus infections totaled 2,564,515, deaths numbered 177,466, and 686,052 people had recovered, according to the university.
Top five Texas counties for confirmed infections
Harris County - 4,977
Dallas County - 2,512
Tarrant County - 1,249
Travis County - 1,174
Bexar County - 1,029
Confirmed infections in nearby counties
Kendall County - 14
Bandera County - 4
Gillespie - 1
Medina County - 15
Uvalde County - 6
Blanco County - 4
Llano County - 3
Mason County - 1
Hays County - 109
Comal County - 43
Frio County - 1
U.S. Senate backs new round of economic aid
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed another round of economic aid to sustain the country as the new coronavirus continues to ravage American commerce.
With a price tag of $484 billion, the new measure passed the chamber via a voice vote. Most senators were not present, in compliance with social distancing recommendations. The bill will replenish $380 billion into the small business forgivable loan fund and allot $75 billion for hospitals and another $25 billion for coronavirus testing.
“We knew this was a very popular program, and it seemed to be working the way we intended by keeping people connected to their employer," said U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a statement immediately after the vote. "But there's more demand than we prepared for, so that’s why it’s important we acted quickly.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz blamed Democrats for a delay in negotiations, as Republicans wanted a singular shot of money into small business funding. But Democrats held out, citing the need to add in other provisions — like local government and hospital funding.
"I’m glad Democrats finally came to their senses and stopped their mindless obstruction," Cruz said in a statement. "But as we’ve seen – no amount of relief can fully counteract the devastating effects of this economic crisis."
U.S. House members are in the process of returning to Washington for an anticipated Thursday vote on the legislation. President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law.
Abbott touts 500,000 job openings ahead of further plans to reopen economy
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday encouraged Texans left unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic to look at nearly half a million job openings statewide. He offered the encouragement as he continued to preview a Monday announcement about the next steps in reopening the Texas economy.
"There's so many people in Texas. They want to get back to work," Abbott said during a news conference at the Texas Capitol. "Some may have jobs waiting. Some may have employers that will not be there anymore, so you will be looking for a new employer. We have almost half a million jobs that are waiting for you right now."
Abbott gave a presentation breaking down the openings by region and by major employer. The openings can be viewed here.
Abbott's latest news conference comes as anticipation continues to mount for his Monday announcement. He took initial steps to restart the state economy last week, reopening state parks, loosening restrictions on medical surgeries and allowing "retail-to-go."
Abbott said his new task force on restarting the economy is already consulting with medical experts about "different types of businesses that we will be able to announce here in just a few days [that] will be able to open up."
As he previewed the Monday announcement, Abbott also strongly suggested he would be issuing an executive order that scales back the statewide stay-at-home order he announced late last month. That order expires at the end of this month.
Report: Dallas County extends stay-at-home order until May 15
Dallas County extended its stay-at-home order until May 15 — two weeks past when the statewide order is scheduled to lift, The Dallas Morning News reported.
At the end of last month, Gov. Greg Abbott had issued a statewide order telling Texans to stay at home until least April 30. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, one of two commissioners who voted against Tuesday's order, said he was concerned that the extension was in conflict with the governor’s order, according to The News.
“If I’m wrong, he will quickly tell us and tell us that we have to let everybody play pick-up basketball and do whatever they want to on April 30,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said, The News reported.
Texas approved for program allowing online grocery orders for SNAP recipients
Texas was approved Monday to be part of a pilot program that allows SNAP recipients to order groceries online, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday.
The start date has not been announced for the program. Currently Lone Star Cards — Texas’ electronic benefit transfer card which works like a debit card — can only be used to buy groceries in-store as deemed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. While many Texans have turned to online grocery shopping and delivery services to limit exposure to the new coronavirus, these resources aren’t available to families who use SNAP.
In-person shopping has long been a concern for groups including the elderly, people with disabilities and people in food-insecure areas, whose access barriers have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. As of Tuesday, the pilot program, which launched in April, is only available through Amazon, Walmart and a few local grocery stores in Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Oregon and Washington, according to the USDA. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram had reported about Texas' request to join the pilot program.
Texans in Congress look for ways to help as oil prices tank
Monday was the climax of weeks in which oil prices have plummeted thanks to decreased demand brought on by the coronavirus and a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, prompting fear and a search for ways to help among the Texans in Congress. Prices had risen to just above $9 a barrel at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday — a positive development compared with Monday but still an alarmingly low number for the Texas delegation.
Under discussion is a proposed massive purchase of U.S. oil for the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That move would allow the nation to purchase oil at a historically low price while simultaneously providing the industry some revenue. U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Woodville, said that he had pushed to take advantage of low prices to restock the nation’s reserves in last month’s coronavirus package but that Democrats had removed it from the legislation signed late last month.
On Tuesday, eight Texans in the U.S. House — Republican U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess, Mike Conaway, Roger Williams and Bill Flores, along with U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher and her fellow Democrats, Henry Cuellar, Marc Veasey and Vicente Gonzalez — signed on as co-sponsors to a bill that would provide the Department of Energy $3 billion to replenish the reserve.
“Our energy producers are facing an unprecedented challenge that will have long-term ramifications for our energy independence and our energy future," Flecther said Tuesday. "Congress has an opportunity to provide relief for those who produce the energy we use every day and to make a strategic purchase that benefits all Americans."
Texas investigating meat processing plants over coronavirus outbreaks
State health officials confirmed Tuesday that they are investigating an outbreak of the new coronavirus at the JBS Beef packing plant in the Texas Panhandle, part of ongoing efforts to monitor major meat processing plants as the pandemic continues to threaten food supply chains.
Earlier this month, the Department of State Health Services conducted an epidemiological investigation in Shelby County that identified a cluster of 14 coronavirus cases and two related deaths that were “in some manner” tied to employees of a Tyson Foods facility.
Now, a department spokeswoman said, an “environmental assessment team” is being sent to Moore County to advise on ways the massive meatpacking plant, which processes a significant portion of the nation’s beef, can curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new strain of the coronavirus.
The investigation follows the shuttering of the company’s meat packing plants in other states because of local outbreaks. Moore County, near the Oklahoma border, has one of the highest rates of infection per capita in the state. (Some local leaders attribute it to rapid testing.)
After a call with Tyson Foods officials, the health department asked the company to enact additional protections for employees at its facility near the Louisiana border, including monitoring all individuals entering the facility for both fever and other COVID-19 related symptoms, and to increase its sanitizing as part of the transportation the company provides for workers.
In an April 10 letter, health commissioner John Hellerstedt wrote to officials for Tyson Foods that the department was “not currently seeking a temporary closure” of the facility but asked the company to provide written confirmation it would take additional actions beyond those previously outlined by the facility in a letter to the state.
This North Texas mayor is trying to reopen businesses in Colleyville, bucking Abbott’s stay-at-home order
Starting Tuesday, the mayor of Colleyville said residents can attend churches and other places of worship so long as social distancing guidelines are followed. He also said starting Friday they can dine at restaurants with outdoor patios — so long as tables are spaced apart — and have one-on-one visits with salon establishments, gyms and massage therapists.
With that announcement, Colleyville Mayor Richard Newton on Tuesday appears to be the first mayor in Texas to move ahead with plans to relax stay-at-home orders aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, well before the governor has signed off on such actions statewide.
The move by the city was first made public in a “Declaration of Disaster” signed by Newton and City Secretary Christine Loven, despite signs that the outbreak is just beginning to strike some parts of the country. It’s also unclear whether the city’s declaration has any teeth, given Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide executive order from late March, which mandates all non-essential businesses shut down through the end of the month.
“While safety remains our top priority, we also recognize the need to re-open our city. We are beginning that process in a methodical and safe way,” Newton said in a letter to Colleyville employers which accompanied the proclamation, according to The Texan.
Texas oil regulators take no action on production
The morning after oil prices crashed into negative territory, Texas oil regulators on Tuesday decided against taking action to impose limits on oil producers, instead creating a “task force” to gather more information on oil production cuts as the coronavirus has kept much of the world at home, crushing global demand.
The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s huge oil and gas industry, agreed to postpone until at least May 5 their vote on the issue, which has been widely discussed across the oil industry for weeks.
Tuesday’s public virtual meeting of the Texas Railroad Commission came a week after the three commissioners heard more than 10 hours of testimony from dozens of oil executives, analysts and critics. The three commissioners — Chairman Wayne Christian and Commissioners Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton — had not indicated how they would vote, but on Tuesday only Sitton said he was ready to vote.
“Taking weeks, even days, right now to act is in itself a choice,” Sitton said. “We are seeing a level of demand destruction and a level of oil industry downturn that in the past happened over a course of years, now happening over a course of days.”
Wearing masks, hikers hit trails as Texas starts reopening
Eager hikers and fishermen lined up early as Texas parks reopened for the first time since temporarily closing April 7 as part of statewide social distancing restrictions.
At Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in the Hill Country, about 120 people made reservations Monday to enter one of Texas' most popular park destinations, park ranger Tina Johnson said. Visitors had to remain in their car while grabbing trail maps and signs reminded them to wear masks and keep six feet apart from other hikers.
In Houston, dozens of families flocked early to Sheldon Lake State Park, where most though not all visitors wore masks as required.
Not all Texas state parks are reopening yet. In El Paso, Mayor Dee Margo has said two popular sites — Franklin Mountains and Hueco Tanks state parks — will remain closed due to local COVID-19 trends.
Texas this week will also allow doctors to resume nonessential surgeries and let retailers sell items for curbside pickup. Abbott said more restrictions would be lifted before the end of the month.
Dallas expands testing
Retail workers in Dallas can now get tested for the coronavirus even if they don't have symptoms, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted. Testing in Dallas for residents over 65, those with underlying health conditions and first responders is also available for those without symptoms.
At least 60 people have died in Dallas County, and while no new deaths were reported Monday, Jenkins said some private labs were closed Sunday and that the county is continue to “scrap and claw” for more testing.
Texas venue that launched Janis Joplin's career set to close
A live-music venue in Texas where college student Janis Joplin launched her singing career will not be reopening after the coronavirus pandemic lifts.
Owner Eddie Wilson said that he plans to sell the property on Austin's North Lamar Boulevard that has been Threadgill’s for 87 years. The converted gas station is where Joplin, then a student at the University of Texas, performed in the 1960s.
The restaurant has been closed since early this month after the outbreak of the new coronavirus was declared a pandemic and officials ordered restaurants limited to take-out and delivery. The shutdown was expected to be temporary as state officials predicted the outbreak would ease later this month.
On Monday, Wilson made the closure of his venue permanent but did not provide further details.
This is the second time that Threadgill’s has closed. The joint founded by Kenneth Threadgill in 1933 had been closed for years when Wilson reopened it in 1981.
Before reopening Threadgill's, Wilson had founded another iconic Austin music venue — the Armadillo World Headquarters — in 1973. The south Austin venue where Texas progressive country music embodied by Willie Nelson was nurtured closed after a New Year's Eve 1980 party and was torn down to make way for an office building.
Gov. Abbott urges unemployed to seeks services of Workforce Solutions
During Tuesday afternoon's state-wide teleconference, Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged those that are unemployed in the Lone Star State to use the services provided by Workforce Solutions, a free service that links employers to potential employees.
Abbott also stated that he could issue an executive order on Monday, April 27 that would move the state into Phase 2 of the economic recovery plan, as the reopening of Texas continues.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, there was a little more than 20,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Texas, with the state recording just over 500 deaths.
Doctors: Execution drugs could help COVID-19 patients
Secrecy surrounding executions could hinder efforts by a group of medical professionals who are asking the nation’s death penalty states for medications used in lethal injections so that they can go to coronavirus patients who are on ventilators, according to a death penalty expert and a doctor who's behind the request.
In a letter sent this month to corrections departments, a group of seven pharmacists, public health experts, and intensive care unit doctors asked states with the death penalty to release any stockpiles they might have of execution drugs to health care facilities.
“Your stockpile could save the lives of hundreds of people; though this may be a small fraction of the total anticipated deaths, it is a central ethical directive that medicine values every life,” according to the letter.
But it's unclear what drugs the states may have, as they have tended to release information about execution protocols and drug supplies only through open records requests or lawsuits. Only one state, Wyoming, responded directly to the letter, and it indicated it doesn’t have the drugs in question.
“I’m not trying to comment on the rightness or wrongness of capital punishment,” said Dr. Joel Zivot, one of the medical professionals who signed the letter. “I’m asking now as a bedside clinician caring for patients, please help me.”
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, it can cause severe illness, requiring them to be placed to ventilators to help them breathe.
Many medications used to sedate and immobilize people put on ventilators and to treat their pain are the same drugs that states use to put inmates to death. Demand for such drugs surged 73% in March.
UT physicians research convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19
Physicians with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Health East Texas are researching a potential treatment to help severely afflicted COVID-19 patients recover. Leading this research effort is Julie Philley, MD, pulmonologist and associate professor of medicine, and Megan Devine, MD, pulmonologist and assistant professor of medicine. With this research, the duo hopes to provide a recovery pathway for patients across the globe.
Following the Mayo Clinic protocol, the doctors are exploring the use of convalescent plasma, or plasma received from those who have recovered from COVID-19, utilizing the COVID-19 antibodies in their blood. In a process approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Drs. Philley and Devine are treating patients admitted to the hospital with severe ailments caused by COVID-19. These patients, who meet clinical criteria, become candidates to receive the convalescent plasma. The doctors then will study the patient’s response to the plasma in hopes of understanding how to best treat the serious infection and illness related to COVID-19.
Drs. Philley and Devine anticipate that convalescent plasma can be given to those with severe COVID-19 illness to boost their ability to fight the virus. Moreover, they hope this treatment will help keep those who are moderately sick from developing more severe conditions. This treatment could prove advantageous for those at a heightened risk of serious COVID-19 illness.
Individuals with a history of COVID-19 can donate plasma but must first meet FDA requirements for this research and must be tested for safety. Once safe usage is confirmed, the blood then goes through a process to separate out blood cells, leaving the plasma with antibodies. Patients who have successfully recovered from COVID-19 are encouraged to contact Carter BloodCare for donation options.
Statewide eviction hold extended to April 30
Federal financial assistance and an extended ban on processing evictions have bought Texas renters who’ve lost their income more time to figure out how to make ends meet.
On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced an extension to the statewide ban on residential evictions due to Covid-19, meaning struggling tenants have a few more weeks to find a way to pay rent. Originally slated to end last Sunday, the ban has been extended until the end of the month as more than 1 million Texans have filed for unemployment because of coronavirus-related job losses. Those seeking unemployment benefits have had a difficult time contacting the Texas Workforce Commission as offices remain closed and call centers have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of callers.
Despite the troubles, Paris Housing Authority executive director Sally Ruthart said she hasn’t seen a spike in calls from renters fearing eviction in the Lamar County area. She said this may be in part to the federal government’s $2.2 trillion stimulus package. Single adults who make less than $75,000 a year are eligible for $1,200 and couples who file jointly are eligible for $2,400, with an additional $500 per child.
“I haven’t heard a lot of reports about people not being able to pay their rent,” Ruthart said. “We’ve actually had three or four (tenants) at the Housing Authority that have been able to pay since they got their stimulus check, and they have paid a couple months in advance.”
To his surprise, Jim Bell of Nathan Bell Realtors found himself in a similar position as Ruthart, even with the ban’s extension.
“We’re not sure exactly why but we’ve had more tenants pay in advance than in the past,” Bell said. “(There’s been) a substantial increase in the number of people who’ve prepaid rents. We’ve not had to evict anyone in the rental market and don’t anticipate having to evict anyone.”
Covid-19 has had a “surprisingly minimum impact,” local licensed real estate agent Quinten Bell said.
“We have 463 units and we are over 90% occupied. Out of 39 delinquencies, which is from a mixture of things, only 12 have notified us about being delinquent due to Covid. Some of them were businesses who were impacted,” he said. “We are a member of the Texas Association of Renters so will be utilizing their form for tenants to get back on their regular payment schedule. If things do get worse, there might be talks into eliminating rent. So far, that is not happening.”
Ruthart said because of what she’s seen so far, she doesn’t expect higher than usual eviction numbers among tenants living in the 234 units that the Paris Housing Authority manages.
“On an average, there are probably two or three evictions each month within the Housing Authority,” she said.
Cameron County reports another COVID-19 death
Fatalities for COVID-19 patients in the Rio Grande Valley grew to 10 Monday with Cameron County reporting an additional fatality, a 51-year-old woman from Windsor Atrium in Harlingen.
A release from Cameron County says the woman died at Valley Baptist Medical center and was a previously reported case.
“With each passing of a loved one, it reminds us of the seriousness of the impact this virus can have on individuals,” Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr. wrote in the statement. “Our most sincere condolences go to the family.”
The county announced a dozen additional cases Monday from Brownsville, Harlingen, Los Fresnos and San Benito. Those individuals range in age from 16 to 65, and include seven men and five women.
Hidalgo County also reported new cases Monday, adding seven cases to the county and bringing the total for the county to 268.
Of those cases, 25 have been hospitalized, six of which are in intensive care units, a statement from the county read.
These new cases involved individuals from Alamo, Donna and Edinburg, ranging in age from their teens to their 40s. Four of those individuals are men and three are women.
According to the county, 14 more people were released from isolation Monday, bringing the total number of people cleared to 59.
The release says that of the 2,300 COVID-19 tests administered in the county, 268 have come back positive, 2,002 have come back negative and 130 are still pending.
The Texas Department of State Health Services also confirmed new cases of the coronavirus in Willacy County on Monday.
According to DSHS, two new cases of the virus were found there, bringing the total to 10. A release from the organization read that the new cases involve a woman in her teens and a man in his 60s.
“The two new cases are contacts to previous cases,” the release read. “The patients are currently isolated. DSHS is supporting Willacy County in identifying any close contacts of the patients so they can be isolated and monitored for symptoms.”
In the Rio Grande Valley, 10 people with the coronavirus have died: three in Hidalgo County, seven in Cameron and one in Willacy. At least 130 people have been cleared Valley-wide.
Laughlin spouses sewing face masks
A club called XL Sew Strong, made primarily of Laughlin spouses, formed to use their tailoring talents to create face masks for Airmen.
Face masks are in limited supply due to the outbreak of COVID-19, so numerous Laughlin and community members have taken up the task of sewing and creating their own reusable, protective face coverings.
Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. signed a declaration ordering county residents to wear face coverings while in public, April 14, 2020, to further slow the spread of COVID-19.
On April 9, Laughlin Air Force Base mandated face coverings when on the installation —especially for essential personnel who work within six feet of one another, in accordance with the guidance from the Department of Defense on the use of face coverings.
Any cloth items worn as face coverings such as neck gaiters, neck warmers, balaclavas, etc., should be functional, cleaned and maintained in compliance with current Air Force instructions, and should cover mouth and nose, according to an article from the office of the Secretary of the Air Force titled “Air Force releases guidance on use of cloth face covers.”
In order to help Airmen meet these requirements, XL Sew Strong set up a system for making their own face masks for the base. The material is washed, bagged, and left at the chapel for sewers to pick up. The spouses collect their material and convert them into masks and drop them off once again at the chapel to be washed another time. The masks are then distributed to those in need.
One spouse from the group, Chelsea Truster, St. James Episcopal Pre-K teacher, says now things have slowed down and many are stuck at home with not much to do, so it helps to stay busy.
“I’m glad as a spouse to be helping out the military community through my sewing skills,” another XL Sew Strong member, Mallory Albers, a Laughlin Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Magnet school special education teacher said.
Because of XL Sew Strong, Laughlin Airmen such as the pilots, defenders, air traffic controllers, firefighters and others who continue to wear the uniform to maintain a ready force can do so safely.
UIL, TAPPS cancel remaining spring sports
After Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered that all Texas schools, including public, private and higher education institutions are to remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the University Interscholastic League announced that all remaining spring activities and state championships have been canceled.
The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools also announced “in keeping with this order and the health interests of all involved, TAPPS moves to the conclusion of our spring actitivites.”
The UIL’s decision means the cancelation of the remaining state semifinalist and championship boys state basketball tournament games, the girls and boys soccer playoffs, plus competition in wrestling, golf, tennis, track and field, baseball and softball.
Spring football training and spring games have also been canceled due to concerns caused by the COVID-19 virus.
“Our staff had been working hard on plans to resume activities this spring, but without schools in session, interscholastic activities cannot continue,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “Our highest priority during this challenging time is ensuring the health and safety of our students and communities and making progress in the containment of COVID-19 in Texas. We are now turning our attention to the 2020-2021 school year.”
Kolkhorst concerned with COVID-19 cases at BNRC
State Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has urged public health officials to directly intervene at a local nursing home that has reported nearly half of all COVID-19 cases for Washington County.
Kolkhorst, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, has been working closely with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) which licenses and regulates the approximately 1,200 licensed nursing homes in Texas, including the Brenham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that has recently reported 18 in-house cases of COVID-19 along with four residents currently hospitalized. In terms of fatalities, of the seven deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Washington County, six of those have been connected to the center.
“Protecting the health and safety of individuals living in our nursing homes is a top priority. That’s why I have advocated for HHSC to inspect and intervene at Brenham Nursing and Rehab to protect these fragile residents and to make sure that the nursing aides and medical staff have adequate personal protection equipment,” Kolkhorst said. “My office is working with long-term and acute care facilities across the state to provide guidance, and secure testing as well as protective gear to fight COVID-19.”
At the request of Kolkhorst, state health officials have begun to assist the facility, offering testing and ensuring infection control protocols are implemented to stop the spread. Kolkhorst also stated that she personally called the owner and top executives of the nursing home and has urged them to take advantage of the state’s offer to provide the center with needed personal protection equipment. Her office is also asking the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide testing for all staff and residents.
Citing the need for better communication and transparency, Kolkhorst said that state regulators require nursing homes to enhance infection prevention and control programs. Facilities are also required to report any suspected coronavirus cases to a local health department or DSHS.
“Nursing homes and congregate care settings such as the Brenham State Supported Living Center are more susceptible for COVID-19, and I am laser-focused on protecting this population,” said Kolkhorst. “At the same time our state is planning to reopen much of Texas for business, we will continue to prioritize state and local resources for our most vulnerable Texans.”
Oil, gas downturn hitting Cooke County: Industry is among best-paying locally, but is seeing layoffs
The cost of crude oil dipping into the negatives this week is another blow to the economy amid already heavy impacts from the new coronavirus.
“The downturn in the oil and gas industry, when in combination with the ongoing pandemic, is creating a double blow to much of the Texas economy,” Cooke County Judge Jason Brinkley said Tuesday, April 21. “Cooke County is seeing and will likely continue to see impacts of the downturn locally.”
Stay-at-home orders to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus have added to the decline. Fewer people commuting and traveling means less demand for fuel.
The price of oil has fallen rapidly since it began the year in the $60 range, representing a drop of more than 90% in just three months, according to a report by the Texas Tribune. The price of oil had been hovering around $20 a barrel recently. On Monday, April 20, the cost of crude oil closed out the day at negative $37.63 per barrel — ending in negative territory for the first time ever, reports show, meaning producers were effectively paying buyers to take oil off their hands.
Brinkley and Gainesville City Manager Barry Sullivan both said layoffs in the energy sector have already begun.
“I expect additional layoffs through the rest of this fiscal year and well into next year because of expected cuts in production,” Sullivan said.
Four more cases of COVID-19 in Guadalupe County
Guadalupe County has four new cases of COVID-19, including one patient who is hospitalized due to the illness.
The newest release puts the county at 63 cases, officials said.
“Three of today’s patients are at home and have been self-quarantined since being tested,” the release said. The fourth is in an area hospital.
The city of Seguin confirmed that one of the cases is a Seguin resident.
Initially, Guadalupe County reported a new case yesterday, however, according to officials, the information received from the Texas Department of State Health Services show that the case was not in Guadalupe County.
“After conducting an investigation, DSHS advised Emergency Management, the data provided was inaccurate, and they have removed one of the patients from Guadalupe Counties case count,” the release said.
As it stands, there are 23 active cases and 40 recoveries. Two patients are hospitalized — one in Guadalupe County, the hospitalized in another county, the release said.
-The Associated Press, The Texas Tribune
